IFAW's Animal Rescue Blog

IFAW Haiti: IFAW's Dr. Dick Green recounts some remarkable stories from the front lines of the disaster

IFAW Haiti: Lassie Gets Lucky

This post was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) J.C. Bouvier who is on the ground in Port-au-Prince working with the Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) teams.

In the morning, our vet met the team in the camp, and we proceeded to journey down into Port-au-Prince, Haiti...we took a brief stop at the tent city we had scheduled the afternoon to introduce our vet and ensure that the residents were ready to bring their animals to us for aid when we returned later that afternoon...

Our next stop was at the village where Dik the dog lives on Lilavois Street in the neighborhood of Bon Repos. His owner Keith was happy to see us, and our vet was able to asses his condition...when the building he was in collapsed during the earthquake...rubble must have fallen on his spine...and while he has no detectable fractures...his spine was injured...our veterinarian, Dr. Thomas, administered anti-inflamatory medication and steroids to help Dik heal...his owner thanked us and we moved on...

The day prior we had made arrangements to meet with a villager who was to bring 50 dogs to a location we had been working in...we arrived in the manner of the traditional Haitian appointment (read: 40 minutes or so after the agreed to time)...the villager didn't arrive...however there was a person who said there were six dogs in a house nearby that needed attention...

We arrived at what once had certainly been an attractive set of four houses...with wonderful mature plantings...and architecture, but had clearly been neglected over time and partially destroyed the earthquake...here we found "Lassie"...she came when called...and after a moment of scurrying around....showed us all a terrible embedded wire wound in her neck...

The team quickly set up a field station where "Lassie" was tranquilized, her wound was cleaned and prepped for stitching...once she was treated, vaccinated and given a nutritional boost...Dick Green said, "Lassie is one lucky dog, if we hadn't stopped here...she would have been dead within a week, there were maggots already in the lesion..."

We finished our work for the day and headed back to our camp...another long day...but the people whose animals we treat are genuinely grateful...

We're still working on the video featuring Dik the dog, look for it to come up on the blog soon...

IFAW Haiti: A Long but Valuable Day for Animals

This post was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) J.C. Bouvier who is on the ground in Port-au-Prince working with the Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) teams.

The ARCH team started the day with a call from the vet who was to help us with the treatment for the Dik, dog we met the day before, she told us the meeting wasn't going to happen...not to worry, we have arranged for our trusted contact in the Haitian government who is also a vet to help us tomorrow, stay tuned for the video we hope to bring you of that encounter...

We spent the rest of this morning returning to a village where we had
been the day prior to vaccinate additional animals we were scheduled to meet...along the way, we watched as locals began a scramble to keep a food truck from leaving their area...some of these desperate folks began climbing up the back of the moving truck...it was quite a scene...

After tending to all the dogs and cats in need of aid in that area..at
mid-day the team moved on, discovering a road-side enclave with
"beaucoup de chien" or many dogs...some of which were in dire
need...including one small flea ridden stray pup amid some rubble...after asking around...we could find no owner...however he was staying with a family in the village...we treated the pup for a leg
injury and he was given the usual regimen...

The ARCH team will deploy tomorrow to tend to more animals, including those residing in a "tent city" where earthquake refugees are taking shelter until the threat of aftershocks subsides and they can rebuild...more tomorrow...
 
For more information, please visit, www.ifaw.org

IFAW Haiti - The Work for Animals Continues in Port-au-Prince

This post was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) J.C. Bouvier who is on the ground in Port-au-Prince working with the Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) teams.

Yesterday, ARCH teams were again hard at work, helping dozens more animals from several Port-au-Prince communities...in the morning of the 29th, the ARCH coordinating team leader and IFAW Emergency Relief Manager Dick Green met with a top official from the Haitian Ministry of the Environment...while IFAW, ASPCA and AHA staff deployed into some of the harder hit areas...over the course of this 48 hour period dozens more animals were helped with vaccinations, flea baths and nutritional supplements...

Today, the 30th, the teams found a badly injured dog named Dik, whose owner says he had been in a building with a seven year old boy when the earthquake struck...although injured, Dik was able to be pulled from the rubble...When we inquired about the boy's situation, the owner said that despite every effort, the boy didn't survive... 

After evaluating the Dik's injuries, a plan was set to bring full veterinary support to Dik's aid tomorrow...stay tuned for a video update on Dik's situation...

For more information on IFAW's efforts, please visit http://bit.ly/arbhaiti

IFAW Haiti: ARCH Teams Treat Dozens of Animals, Many More Need Help

This post was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) J.C. Bouvier who is on the ground in Port-au-Prince working with the Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) teams including the Dominican Republic Based Sodopreca, who are the focus of this post.

1.28.10

Yesterday the ARCH team continued its work on the ground in Port-au- Prince, Haiti, with the Dominican Sodopreca team treating 38 animals yesterday alone...treatments for animals in these circumstances include vaccinations, de-worming and nutritional boosts. Several of the dogs treated yesterday were puppies found living with families in the city...and the families were very receptive to the Sodopreca teams efforts...after meetings with Haitian officials in the morning, the ARCH team will begin to develop a more in-depth plan for the aid of Haiti's animals.

 A highlight of the trip so far for the Sodopreca team was the meeting of the one and only Julio Iglesias at the Dominican Embassy. The guys say he was very interested in the work of the ARCH team and overall a very nice guy...

While the city is beginning to return to a quasi normal state of function, there are still many animals who need our help...for more information, please visit www.ifaw.org

No end to the destruction in Haiti

This report was filed from Port-au-Prince, by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) ER Communications Officer Michael Booth.

On the second day of operation in Haiti (Sunday, 24th of Jan.), ARCH (Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti) members traveled South of Port-au-Prince to the towns of Leogane and Jacmel. We had heard a lot about the extent of structural damage and loss of life in these two places but needed to go and assess the situation with the animals. Unlike the capital city, these two more rural areas understandably hold a larger population of farm animals.

It didn’t take long until we encountered a number of goats, pigs and dogs all assembled near dump sites along the local fruit and vegetable market haphazardly set-up on the side of a dirt road. Haiti had made great progress in re-housing street markets not too long ago but the earthquake brought the roof of the new market down and with it any attempts at an organized, safe and clean distribution center. Within just a few days, the vendors had again established themselves really anywhere they could and instantly animals were drawn there to rummage in the garbage in an attempt to find whatever food they could.

We continued for more than an hour and a half to cross the hills outside Port-au-Prince and reach Haiti’s southern shore. The distance is not all that long but the highway has considerable damage and big cracks have literally displaced many sections of the road. Land and rock slides also cut all access to Jacmel for several days so our team was one of the first people to make the ride.

At Jacmel, we saw more of the same, tragic scenery. Toppled houses marked by fluorescent signs that indicate SAR (Search and Rescue Team) work done in the rubble. You see numbers in the signs, some indicate the number of bodies found, others indicate the survivors, as expected the latter number is usually the lowest.

IFAW Haiti: Responders Land on the Ground

This report was filed from Port-au-Prince, by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) ER Communications Officer Michael Booth who is on the ground working with the IFAW/WSPA led Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) to help the animals abandoned, injured and in need.

After a few days of preparation in the Dominican Republic, we landed in Toussaint Louverture airport at 9:20 am local time in Haiti. During the 1-hour flight aboard a small fixed-wing aircraft, we caught a glimpse of the devastation from the air, it wasn’t just the collapsed buildings that caught our eye, but also the masses of displaced people congregating on the streets and living in huge ‘tent cities’ scattered around Port-au-Prince...

The airport was packed full of Emergency Response teams including helicopters from the US marines, humanitarian groups and a huge UN contingent. We were dropped off in the middle of a grass field next to the runway. Our first, very unexpected, challenge was to find a way carry all our bags and supplies to the airport terminal without getting in the way of cargo planes moving left and right.

We entered a dark, powerless airport and quickly got our passport stamps. The first signs of the earthquake’s fury were visible all across the airport’s cracked walls. There was no time to linger though, Dr. Thomas was picking us up outside to head over to a meeting with Dr. Max Millien the Haitian Minister of Animal Health. In normal circumstances, one would’ve had to head to the city center for these meetings, but like so many buildings there, Dr Millien’s office was under several feet of debris, completely wiped out.

In the interim, several Ministries were setting up in private buildings used as temporary emergency operating centers to hold critical meetings, and this was one such meeting. Some of the agreed upon priorities include prevention of disease outbreaks, and also to help farmers get back on their feet and kick-start the collapsed Haitian economy. The government is grateful for the outpouring of support from IFAW and all the members of the coalition and it was a very productive planning meeting.

 From there we headed to the city center. Among the collapsed building we spotted several dogs and one cat all looking for food, for comfort. They all look pretty undernourished, many were exhibiting signs of disease or injury. Many were traumatized and moved away from us, but when we could the vets provided initial care.

Walking among the wreckage and misery that is Port-au-Prince is nothing one can get used to. Coming back to our base at night, we were inspired by a mass prayer ceremony held at one of the ‘tent cities’. Haitians were dancing and signing, desperately trying to find the peace and the strength to carry on. An entire country is in pain, it’s visible and palpable everywhere you go. Thanks to our supporters, we are here, now, to lend a hand, to assist both humans and animals and bring relief to Haiti.

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For more information and to donate please visit www.ifaw.org.

IFAW Team Begins Move into Haiti

This brief post was written by the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Deputy Director of Programs A.J. Cady, who is overseeing the deployment of IFAW and ARCH teams into Haiti.

Early this morning, I was able to get a quick update from Dr. Ian Robinson and Michael Booth, both members of IFAW’s emergency response team, which has freshly landed on the ground in the Dominican Republic. The team has been anxiously awaiting permission to enter Haiti and is thrilled to report they will moving into Haiti tonight. Additional members are set to follow by air tomorrow.

Our first priority will be meeting with Haitian government representatives in the capital of Port-au-Prince and begin finalizing a plan for ongoing aid.

When I spoke with Michael, he was keen to convey the magnitude of the issue on the ground. IFAW is currently staying in an area which is flooded with relief workers of agencies originating from all corners of the world. There’s a strong sense of purpose and everyone is grateful for the outpouring of support from the international community.

As IFAW’s Emergency Relief Communications Lead, Michael will be working to keep everyone up to date on our efforts and any needs or urgent challenges, so be sure to watch for updates via email and through our Facebook and Twitter pages.

We are working closely with the World Society for the Protection of Animals in the continuing coordination of the Animal Rescue Coalition for Haiti and will also be sure to immediately update you on coalition progress as soon as the news comes in. I am quite sure there will be many sad sights to see, but our hope is that we will also be able to report back to you on many happy endings.

Thanks to all of our supporters for their generous donations and for helping us bring aid to the animals struck by this disaster.

A.J. --

For more information on the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s efforts on the ground in Haiti, please visit www.ifaw.org.

100+ endangered birds seized in Trinidad & Tobago

The International Fund for Animal Welfare's  Colleen Cullen sent this post over about a wildlife seizure in Cedros.

A shipment of 83 yellow-headed parrots, 9 black headed caiques, 10 conures, 16 orange-winged parrots, an agouti and a wild hog were seized on Thursday, June 25th by Customs and Excise Officers at Cedros, Trinidad and Tobago after being brought in illegally by boat from the Venezuelan mainland. The perpetrators were charged for illegally importing prohibited animals.

The offenders were charged for being in possession of protected animals and for cruelty to animals. Most of the confiscated parrots were stuffed into two crocus bags while others were tied to pieces of wood. All the parrots’ wings were clipped.

The game wardens involved in making these arrests were trained in Trinidad & Tobago by wildlife trade experts at IFAW just over a year ago. Among the topics of the training were – how to spot and address wildlife crime and how to humanely confiscate and shelter the animals.

The animals were transported to the Emperor Valley Zoo for care and rehabilitation. Nirmal Biptah, Curator of the Emperor Valley Zoo, laments the appalling condition of the seized animals and the cramped conditions under which they were shipped.

In April, the confiscation of 1000+ animals in Trinidad & Tobago was similarly attributed to last year’s enforcement training in the country.

IFAW is continuing to train wildlife enforcement officers across the globe and has recently conducted workshops in South America and in the Middle East.

Animal Action Week Grand Prize Winner - Poem and Pics

The 2008 Animal Action Week award winner Kathy Pina,a 4th Grade Teacher at Jackson Avenue School in Hackensack, New Jersey just returned from her trip to Trinidad where she visited the sea turtle population there.

She discussed her classroom efforts in her submission for the award:

"The Beneath the Waves curriculum provided by the International Fund for Animal Welfare has added substantial value to the environmental science lessons held in Room 303 at Jackson Avenue School. It sparked thinking about not only what we, as a class can learn and do, but what our entire school and community can learn and do! I turned the curriculum contributed to us by IFAW into a SMART notebook lesson activity. The students took part in, and continue to work on, each of the suggested activities in the resource guide on a weekly basis."

"This curriculum inspired me, my class and our community to help the Earth in seven distinct ways!"

• "My class tried to get the entire school to sign the Plastic Pledge. We got 135 pledges back and will seek out more signed pledges at our science fair in January."
• "I am using the IFAW curriculum as a jumping off point to conduct our class project for the school science fair. Our project and display will be based on the environmental influences causing the decline of whale and sea turtle populations."
• "My class is writing essays about the threats to the marine animals they chose from the IFAW website. They will create illustrations and all of the pictures and essays will be "professionally" published in a book."
• "I asked the PTA to contribute to purchasing reusable bags for the entire school to hand out at the science fair. They accepted!"
• "I asked the local Girl Scout troop to set up a booth at the science fair that will help to raise money to buy the school a recycling dumpster"
• "I booked a one hour assembly program, paid for by a Clean Communities Grants, for our parents and students on the night of the science fair called "Kids Going Green!"
• "My Destination Imagination team now wants to center their entire challenge, "Instinct Messaging" on the ways that whales communicate and environmental issues that tend to stand in the way of this unique ability. The IFAW resources gave us a head start on our research"